On the Issues

Good things are happening in North Dakota, things that we here in the Upper Valley are taking part in. The energy sector is in boon times and agriculture is seeing some of the best years in a long time. These sectors of our economy are giving new reason to invest and stay in our small towns and rural areas. But what is it that we as a government can do to make things better?As your senator, I will be committed to finding reasonable ways to control spending and reduce taxes where possible, but at the same time give the necessary support to k-12 teachers and state workers. Property taxes have long funded our schools. It’s time to find a new source of funding and give needed relief to property owners, both on the farm and in town.

Governor Hoeven and the Republican Legislature have worked hard to ensure our taxes are not raised and they created budget stabilization funds, so come that rainy day the cost of government doesn’t get thrown on the backs of the people.

Listening to producers, business leaders, and the voters in District 16 will be my campaign plan. I will win because I will hear what you say and turn it into action in Bismarck. I will work to pursue legislation that gives a hand up to our people not a hand-out.

All ships must rise and just as the renewable fuels initiatives are helping our farmers, growth and development of our oil, gas and coal industries cannot be stifled. I will be committed to finding ways to link the two so that together. As we build electrical transmission lines for our wind turbines, we also building new coal plants. As we create more ethanol and biodiesel plants, we are exploring for more oil, getting it to market and easing the strain at the pump. We must see that our natural gas is being fully utilized providing not only heat for our homes, but fertilizer for our farms and many other useful products. I will not stand by and let environmentalists declare the sky is falling and move to restrict our rights based on flawed science and reactionary politics.

I am pro-life. I believe the greatest right guaranteed to us is the right to life. I will stand for legislation that encourages women to seek out alternatives to abortion and requires abortionists to explain the dangers of that procedure, both long term and short term, before it is carried out.

We have a problem of redundancy in Education in North Dakota and more so we have a problem of educating people for careers that don’t exist in our state. I will be committed to finding ways to change the missions of our colleges so that they provide better possibilities for North Dakota’s youth within our state. I believe creating a greater link between high schools and colleges could potentially save money but also increase the quality of North Dakota’s high school graduates so we are not just the best in the nation, but the best in the world. Bringing business leaders into our schools will show students what opportunities are available and give businesses the trained work force they need to flourish.

I am excited for this campaign. I will win this campaign and I am going to be looking to all of you for support and confidence. I hope to meet you all on the trail.